Divided-charge rotary engine



mam. 5 M26. A A. BULLN'GN DVDED CHARGE RQTRY ENGINE Filed June 2, w23 2 Shams-Sheet l Patented Jan. 5,/ 19.26.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK A. BULLINGTCIN, OF KANSAS GITY. MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR T0 BULLINGTON MOTORS, OF KANSAS CITY. MISSOURI, A COMhIGN-LAIV TRUST CONSISTING OF SOLOMON STODDARD, ERNEST IIOVARD, AND FRANK BULLINGTON.

@IVIDED-CHARGE ROTARY ENGINE.

-Aepncation ined :rune e, 192e. serial no. ceases.

To all whom t may concern.:

Be it known that I, FRANK L BULLING- TON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Kansas City, in the county of Jackson and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and usetul Improvements in Divided-Charge Rotary Engines; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accomu panying drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification. I .y This Vinvention relates to rotary engines ot the alternating piston type and particularly to that class of engines in which co-operat ingpistons move about the axis of an annular cylinder or working chamber at vary# ling speeds to transmit power to a power sha ft at a constant speed. Such engines are generically 'old and-as a type they are well known.

The present invention comprehends means for greatly improving .the operating eciency of the engine orpower purposes. The main diierence tbetween the present invention and prior engines or motors 'of the saine general type is that the present 1n vention provides means for dividing the charge so that there is more than one distinct explosion between co-operatingp1sV tons. InA the present instance I have shown the invention designed so. that two eXplosions Atake place for each power stroke of co-operating pistons and for the sake of clearness I have designated the first eX plosion 'as the primary explosion, the second explosion as the secondary explosion and their chambers as the primary chamber and' the secondary chamber respectively, not on account of their relative iniportance as power generating factors but 'on account of the numerical order in which they occur.

As shown, the pistons alternately become the accelerated and retarded pistons in substantially the same manner that pistons of prior engines operate, with this essential difference: between cooperating pistons I arrange a floating, independently movable charge dividing partition, which separates the normal charge between two (ao-operating pistons into two parts, the lirst charge being ignited by a spark in the usual way and the second charge being exploded by spontaneous combustion due to the high compression under which it is placed by the movable partition moved by the explosion in the first chamber. The compression in the secondary chamber being relatively higher than that in thefirst chamber will cause the efficiency to rise in the secondary chamg ber due to the tact that the higher the compression, the greater the eiiciency.

The novel construction of the invention will be apparent by reference to the following description in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Figi is a side view of the motor with one cover plate or side wall removed.

Fig. 2 is a detail perspective view of the lcharge dividing and controlling device.

Fig. 3 is a vertical, longitudinal, sectional view through an engine constructed in accordance with my invention, and

, Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the line 1 -4: of Fig. 3.-

Referring now to the drawings by numerals of reference:

l. and 2 ydesignate the two covers of come plementary sections of the power generating part of the motor. The members l and 2 are provided with vhubportions 3 and 4 which carry webs d and 6 spaced apart to provide a rotor chamberA 7. At. the periphery of the webs 5 and 6 are the two halves 8 and 9 of an annular cylinder or workingehamber lO. The members 1 and 2 may be secured together by fastening deloc" one end of which is mounted in the hub 3 and the other being mounted in a recess 17 in the crank shaft carrier 18 on the end of the power delivery shaft 19 mounted in the hub 20 of the crank case 2l, the crank case 2i. being fastened to the wall 22 integral with the hub et.

Goncentrie with the shaft 16 is a hol-y integral ring` 48 low shaft 23iwhich carries the rotor l5 and .sleeved upon the shaft 1G is a third shaft ...T which is between the shaft 1G and the shaft 23, as clearly shown in'Fig. 3 so that there are three `concentric shafts, the inner and outer shafts .beine` the rotor shafts and shaft 24 being the charge divider operatingrT shaft. l

The shaft 24 carries a rotor 25 (see Fig. 2)wvhich is shown as cri-extensive with the rotors 14 and 15 and located between them.

On the periphery of the rotor 25 is a plurality ot charge dividing partition walls 26 of such shape as to be cti-extensive with the cross section ot the cylinder 10.

The particular mechanism for alternating the pistons 2T, QQ., 29. and 30 (it being' understood that. -pistons 2T and are on one rotor and pistons 2S and SO on the other) will now be generically described, it being understood that for the present invention 'I make no special claim to the linkage for connectingr the piston shafts to the power shaft 19 but in o rder to present a comprehensive disclosure ot the operating` eonditions of the motor, l will brietiy describe the linkage connections.

Two oppositely located single pin crank shafts 31 and 32 are mounted in the. crank carrier members 1S and 33, the crank can rier member flflbeinn' rotatal'ily n'iount'cd on the hub 4 and the member 18, as previously, explained, being carried by the shaft 19. The cranks 31 and 3Q have on the ends nearwith a fixed gear 3G keyed or otherwise secured to the hub extension 4. The opposite ends of the crank shafts 31 and 32 carry ily wheels 37 and 37 and the crank pins 38 and 39 are connected to the pins 40 and 41 of the crank arms 42 and- 43 by connecting rods 44 and 45. the linkage mechanism being so arranged that it planetates about the rear 36 and ett'eets the proper (zo-operative relationship between the alternating pistons and delivers power to the power shaft 19 in a manner specically referred to in one of my former applications but which need not be described here because the operation in a general way ot such an engine is well understood.

As heretofore mentioned, the prime teature ot this invention is to provide a divided charge and control the charge in such a way as to increase the efficiency of the engine. By reference to Figs. 2, and 4 it will be observed that the shaft 24 carries two diametrically dpposite. arms 46 and 47 which are connected to the shaft 24 by the and the keys 49 and 50. The diametricaltv opposite arms are interv posed between springs 51 and 752 l'or tl arm 46 and 53 and 54 tor the arm t7. ylhe inner ends of the springs 51 and bear against the arm 4b and the outer ends against the recanti walls and 56 of a yoke 57 carried by the 'member 18. The springs 53 and 54 similarly bear against the arm 47 and against the walls :3S and 59 of a yoke the. member 'voke'.

It will be observed that the partitions 26 are arranged about the rotor 25 atangles of SO degrees and since the linkage mechanism between the alternating pistons and the crank shaft carrier causes 'the crank shaft carrier to be driven at a constant uniform speed, it will be apparent that the variable movements ot the power pistons will not effeet the relative positions of the partition walls but that the pistons will have move ment relative to the partition walls rather than the partition walls havingy movement relative to the pistons. Therefore, by reterence to Fig: 1 it will be apparent that the piston 2T and one partition wal-l 2G have passed the intake port. (31 to tal-:e in half oli the charge ot fuel and that the partition wall 26 and piston 30 have about completed taking' in the second half ot' the charge. lYhcn the piston 30 has closed ott the port (l1, the full charge will be confined between pistons 27 and 30 but it will be divided by the partition 2G between them.

lllhcn the crank shaft carrier has moved through an arc ot degrees, the piston 30 will be in the position occupied by piston 2T in Fig. 1 and piston Q7 will be in the posi- 18' dian'ietrically opposite the l V tion. occupied bv piston 28 in 14 with est the cylinder. erears 34 and 3o which mesh the charge dividing partition 26 in the position occupied by the partition 26. The divided charpe'c in the primary chamber 62 and the secondary chambel` 63 will have the usual compression, for example, about tive atmosplieres.

lt' the timing mechanism lot the engine is properly designed, the spark plug' 12 will cause au explosion fr ignition in the in imary chamber 62, it beingr understood vthat pistons 30 and 27 at this time willbe ou dead center position. The exploded charge. of course, will exert pressure equall' iu all directions, tending' to drive the piston QT forward, that is, in a clo'c-luvise direction` but since the partition 26 is a floating partition, capable ot independent movement and is yieldingly positioned by the springs 51. 52, 53` land 54, it is obvious that the expansive force ot the ignited charge in the primary chamber G2 will moveothe pi rtition 96 in a contra-clockwise direc-tion` constricting the secondary chamber 63 and thereby building up the compression pressure in the chamberI 63 high enough to cause the part of the charge in the secondary chamber .63 to explode by spontaneous combustion, due to the high compression iu that chamber and. since the hie-her the compression the greater the efticieney derived from the exploded charge, it will be apparent that greater power will 60, also carried by i oo meneer be derived from the exploded charge kby the two explosions-(one at a higher pressure than the other) between the pistons than could'be derivedi't the charge were exploded at a lower1 pressure.

The liip'h pressure desired in order to get the highest eiiiciency could not be provided between tivo complementary power pistons with any degree ot success because if the pressure in the primary chamber approached the critical pressure, there would be liability of a. premature explosion such as often happens in every day practice where the compression is too high. 'Therefore in order to provide a practical embodiment of a known principle, to wit: that the l'iig'her the compression. the higher the etliciency :trom the cxplodeel charge, l ha re t'levised an invention which insures unitorm operation without attendant' disadvantages.

As the pistons 2 and 30 move clockwise after the explosions above referred to they will assume the posit-.ions occupied by pisstons ,Q8 and 29 in Fig. l; tir-st the primary chamber (52 and then the secondary chamber 63 exhausting through exhaust port 'R6/l.

vWhen they have assumed these positions,they

pistons 30 andi Q9 will here occupied the positionsnow occupied by pistons and 27. This principle ot alternatiingr pistons, however., is so well known that 'it is not deemed necessary to specically Adescribe it here. Suli'ice it to say that between each set oi' alternating pistons there is a chargedividing partition QG whereby the charge is divided into two parts, the cliarge in the pri mary chamber being ignited at relatively' low pressure and the charge in' the secondary chamber being ignited at relatively high pressureu the exploded charges in the two chambers combiningr to produce power delivered to two cooperating, alternating pistons and by this arrangement l have mate rially increased the elliciency ot' the engine over that type in which a 'single charge at' relatively low rpressure is ignited by a spark pinkein a single chamber between t\vo'cooperatingy pistons. i

."tecording: to my invention. the` explosion pressures in chambers tr.) and G3' cooperate to deliver the power to the pistons: tor example. when the cha is exploded in chamber (32. it will more the partition 2G toward piston 2T approxin'iately to thedottcd line position G5. l`l'ieicore` thc secondary cham# ber 63 will be eonstricted and the contents thereof will be compressed high enough to cause spontaneous combustion. The pressure at which the fuel in chamber` 63 will at this time be exploded will be higher than the compression pressure in chamber 62 at the time ot' its explosion. Consequently the explosion pressure in chamber 63 will be higher `than the explosion pressure which previously occurred in chamber 62. Therefore, the partition Q6 will. under the force of the exploded charge in chamber 63, lnQYQ.v v

back to approximately the position occupied by partition Q6 or to such position tlnltmthe l mean ot the pressures in the two chambers will be higher than the explosion pressure in chamber 62. ln other words, the'mean of the explosion pressure in the two eXplosion chambers, resulting;r in action on Ythe two pistons, will be somewhat less than the initial explosion pressure in the secondary chamber, but it will be higher than the initial explosion pressure in theprimary chamber. Therefore.v I obtain the highest eili- -ciency trom the fuelcl'iarge.

ythe chambers between the piston 29 and the partition 26, between 28 end 29. the exAk pandinggases in thefmhamber between 26 and the piston 28 will movel partitionl 26 slightly aivay from the' piston 28` due to the tact that there is now no counter-acting pressure in the space between 29 and 26". rllhis motion will be communicated to the entire rotork l25, causing partition 26 to constrict the primary chamber and tending to raise the compression pressure in primary chamber` high enough to cause spontaneous combustion. Then the engine `Will operate Without the spark, and it is obvious that this action willtake place under proper conditions. n

What I claim and desire toisecure by Letters-Patent is: ,i y

1. In arotary alternating piston engine, a. cylindrical casing, pairs of pistons therein rotating about a common axis, the pistons havingl relative move-ments to compress tuel charges to combustible pressures, and chargedividing partitions between complementary pistons separating the-combustion spaces between the complementary pistons into aprimary explosionr chamber and a secondary explosion chamber so that the two separated parts ,of each fuel mixture charge confined between two complementary power pistons will be independently exploded one after the other, the charge in the primary chamberA being exploded at` lower pressure than that in the secondary chamber.

2. ln a' rotary alternating,r pistonengine, a cylindrical casing, pairs of pistons therein rotating about ey common axis, the pistons having relative movements to compress fuel charges to combustible pressures, and. floating charge-dividing' partitions separating the 'combustion spaces between compiedependently exploded one 'after the other.

3. Ina' rotar Y alternatimY )iston enffine a cylindrical casing, 4pairs of pistons therein rotating about'a common axis, the pistons having relative movements to compress fuel charges to combustible pressures, and independently movable charge dividingA partitions between complementary pistons separating lthe combustion spaces between the complementary pistons into independent explosion. compartments so that the two separated parts ot each fuel mixture charge oonned betweeen two complementary power pistons will be independently exploded one after the other.

.4; In a rotary alternating piston engine, a cylindrical casing, pairs oi pistons therein rotating about a common axis, the pistons having relative movements to compress fuel charges to combustible pressures, and yieldingly-held charge-dividing partitions between complementary pistons to divide the combustion spaces between them so that the two separated parts of each' fuel mixture charge, confined betwen two complementary power pistons will be' independently exploded one after the other..

i 5. In if/rotary alternating piston engine, a cylindriplzeasing, pairs of pistons therein 'rotating alixta icommon axis, the pistons having relative movements to. compress fuel charges to combustible pressures, charge dividing Apartitions" between vthe pistons dividing each charge into" two separate parts so that the two separated parts of each fuel mixture 'charge confined between twov complementary power pistons will be independently exploded one after the other,

,and means for imparting a. uniform move ment to the partitions.

6. In a rotary alternating piston engine, a cylindricaleasing, pairs of pistons therein rotating about a common axis, the pistons having relative movements to compress fuel charges to' combustible pressures, chargeweasel divi/ling partitions between the pistons dividingn each charge into two separate parts so that the two separated parts of'eaeh fuel niixtur(x charge conined between two com pleineutary power pistons will be independenthY exploded one after the other, and yielding means movable in response to the movement of the pistons `for driving the partitions at a constant speed.

T. in a rotaryalternating piston engine, a cylindrical easing, pairs of pistons therein rotating about a, common axis, the pistons having relative movements to compress fuel charges to combustible pressures, a constant speed power shaft driven by the pistons, and ehauge-dividinj;` partitions between the pistons drivenat the speed ol the power shaft, the charge dividing partitions separatingr each fuel charge into two separate parts so that the two separated. parts ot' each uel mixture, Charge confined between two coinpiementary power pistons will Vbe independently exploded one after the other.

8. in a rotary alternating` piston engine, a cylindrical easing, pairs oi2 pistons therein rotating' about a Common axis, the pistons having relative movements to compress uel charges to combustible pressures, a constant speed power shaft driven by the pistons` and eliargfedividing partitions between the pistons vieldingly driven at the speed of the power shaft, the charge dividing partitions separating each fuel charge into two separate pints so that the separated parts of each fuel mixture charge eontlned between two complementary Ypower pistons will be independently exploded one after the other.

9. .ln kan internal combustion engine having-aeylindrieal wall, a piston within the wall, means associated with the wall and the pistouto provide a combustion chamber, and a floating' partition in the combustion chamber dividing; it into two compartments, means for feeding a fuel charge mixture into the two compartments before explosion so that the two separated parts ot each fuel 'mixture Charge will be independently exploded one atter the other.

ln testimony whereof I ailix my signature.

FRANK A. BULLINGTGN. 

